Fork



J. L. BENNETT Dec. 22, 1931.

FORK

Filed Jan. 5. 1927 /5 INVENTOR RNEY M ATTO Patented Dec. 22, 1931 FUNETEDSTATES PORATION, OF DEGATUR ILLINOIS, A GOBPORATIOI-T OF ILLINOIS FORK Applicationfild January 3, 1927. Serial No. 158,582. I

This invention relates to improvements in forks. Theprincipal object of the invention is the provision of a fork which may be extended to different lengths and in each length the fork is solid and substantial and securely held. r i V i A further object of the invention is the provision of such a device which is simple in construction, attractive in appearance, cheap to manufacture and easy to operate, and which in all positions is solid and secure and fixed. V

A further object of this invention is the provision of an extensible handle for forks or other forms of utensils or the like in which the handle portion is provided of two parts slidable relative to each other, having a plurality of means engaging thetwoparts and frictionally holding them together, whereby they are fixedly held in an extended or adjusted position. 7 To the accomplishment of the foregoing and such other objects as may herelnafter appear, this invention consists in the cone struction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and then sought to be defined in the appended claims, refer-.

ence being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof and whic h show, merely for the purpose of lllustrat ve disclosure, a preferred embodiment of my invention, it being expressly understood, however,'that various changes may be made in practice within the scope of the clalms wlthout digressing from myinventlve idea.

' In the'drawings a Figure 1 is a plan view of a device constructed to embody my invention and shown.

in closed or non-extended position. 1

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the device shown in Figure 1. v y 7 Figure 8 is a longitudinal cross sectlon taken substantially on line 33 of Figure 1', the device, however, being shown in an extended position and the forward portion of the extensible member being omitted.

Figure 4 is an enlarged'view showing the connection between the handle portion proper and the extensible handle member.

Figure 5 is a cross section t tially on line 5-5 of Figure 4:.

Figure 6 is a. cross section taken substan-v tially on line 66 of Figure 4.

Figure 7 is a cross section taken substantially on line 77 of Figure 6. i

Referringnow to the drawings the numeral 1 designates the handle portion proper which is preferably in the form of a single piece of wire having its end looped as at 2 to receive the gripping member 3, this gripping mem. ber being provided with grooves 4 along its edgeto receive the looped portion 2. The handle portion 1 extends forward from the loop in the form of a pair of parallel wires 5 which are suitably secured together at in-'- tervals by welding, soldering or similar suit able means.

An extensible handle member 6 is provid-Y ed and is preferably formed of a single piece of wire having the prongs or tines 7 at the forward end. The wire. then extends rearwardly in the form of a pair of parallel members 8 suitably secured together-at 'in-f tervals by welding, soldering or' similar means and terminating in the upturned or outwardly turned operating lug or finger 9.

The extensible member'is slidably mount ed on the handle member-proper 1 for ex tension purposes, the pair of'parallel mem bers '5 and the pair of parallel membersfi, being in substantial alignment. Means is provided for. holding these/two members together in such a way as to permit'the extension or movement of one relative to the other, and in the form shown, thismeans includes a plurality of'clasps or clamps 10 which are in the form ofa metal strapor ring completely surrounding all of the'wires of the two members. These members 10 are. fixedly connected to the extensible member 6 by being positioned Within the depressed portions 11 of said member 6. It is obvious from an inspection of the drawings that depressions 11 and 13 form bendsor bows on the oppositesides-ofrods15 and 8. Seats, 11; and 13 are providedaon each end of the depressions 11 and 13 and form means for vpreventing clamps 10 and 12 from being displaced. See Figures 3, 4 and 7. They are 0F I 'PI T I JOHNL. BENNETT. or nEcArun, ILL'InoIs; AssIGnoR TO 'w. s. MANU ACTURING con- I akensubstans' i preferably pressedinto this position and into the depressions 11 formed in the wire portions of the member G and are pressed around or about the under side of the wire portions of themember 1 so as .to tightly but slida- I bly engagesaid memberl. Thisoonnecti'on is made in such a way asto cause the depressed portions 11 of the member 6 to engage the top surfaces'rof the member 1 and increase the frictional engagement afforded by this COIlIlBClllOIL' it is provided in the form disclosed nearer the rear or handle end of the device.

'15" 1 'th'e'parts are reversed.

' At the. forward or fork end of the device a similar construction is provided but in this The clamp members 12 are of simllar construction but are fixedlylsecured to the forwardend of the handle member 1 by being pressed orforced into the depressions 13 formed in the outer end of. the handle member 1 and preferably from the under side of the handle memberl. These depressions cause-the wire parts of handle member 1 to be forced inwardly and to ifrictionally engage the adjoining wire parts of the' extensible member 6 and the clamp or ring member12 thus afford a frictional but slidable connection between these two parts.

- It 'istherofore'secn that in the form shown the frictional clamping means is fixedly secured at one end'to the extensible member and at the other end to the stationary or handle member and that the extensible mem held in this position.

ber with the fixedly attached clamping means 10 slides on the handle member 1, the parallel wire-members 8 sliding through the clamping member 12 fixedly secured to the forward end of "the handlemember 1. The extend in'g movement of theparts is'limited by the arrangement of clamping means and the de-..

pressed portions of the members 1 and 6, for as the nearest clamping means approach engagement, the friction is increased due to the curved formation of thefwire members and the extending movement limited when the curved portions come into engagement with eachotheri At this point the friction has beencoiisiderably increased, so that the fricnoun en ageme'ntbetween the parts is greater and the parts are, therefore, more securely evenin this position there is a considerable overlapping ofv the two members 1 and '6,

whereby the handle as a whole is of suflicient strength to accomplish its variouspurposes, and .the "structure as a whole is not weakened by providing for the extensibility of the device.

In thelless extended po sit'ions it is to be noted that the members 1 and 6 are parallel "to'eachother and that the distance between the different groups of clamping members. 1'0- and 12is substantial so that the bracing effect is greater. Furthermore, at the ex It is to be noted that treme rearward or closed position the upturnedfinger or lug Qeng ages the gripping member 3 andthus forms a stop for the rearward or closing movement of the'device.

It is also to be noted that when the parts are in their closed or non-extendedposition the clamping member lOto the left in Fig ures 1 and 2 is positioned at thebeginning of the loop 2 of the. main handle member 1, and .the parts cannot be moved further-in that direction'because' the divergent sides of 7 the loops will not permit the passage of said I Iclamping member 10. r V V frictional construction WVhile I have described and disclosed this i 1 construction as applicable to a fork, it is to be understood that it. may be applicable to other forms of utensils and the'likel,

(What-I claim is 1. A device ofthe character described including, in combination, a main handle member, an extensible handle member, a clamping member fixedly. secured to said extensible member near itsrear end and slidably and frictionally engaging said main handle member, and a clamping member. fixedly secured to the forward end of said main handle member and slidably and frictionally engaging 1 said extensible handle member whereby said extensible handle member may be moved on said main member and frictionallyheld. in

difierentjadjusted positions, said clamping members being fixedly connected to their handle members by. forming said handle members with depressed portions within 7 whichsaid clamping members fit. p

2. A device of the character described including, in combination, a main handle-meme ber, an extensible handle member, a clamping member fixedly secured to said extensible member near its rear end and slidablyand frictionally engaging saidfmain handle mem ber, and a clamping member fixedly secured .to the forward end of saidmain'handle 'memberand slidably and frictionally engaging said extensible handle member-whereby said extensiblehandle member may be moved'on said main member and frictional'ly held in.

different adjusted positions, said clamping members being fixedly-connectedto' their handle members by forming said handle members with depressed portions within which said clamping members fit, said de-' l the like including a main handle member formed of a piece of wire and having an extended portion provided by parts of the wire extendingsubstantially parallel to each other,

an extensible member formed of a single piece of wire and having a handle portion formed by two parts of wire extending substantially parallel to each other and positioned adjacent said first mentioned handle member, a plurality of clamping means fixedly secured to each of said members and slidably and frictionally engaging the other of said members, whereby the two members may be extended relative to each other, and securely held by frictional engagement in an adjusted position. v

' 4. A handle construction for a utensil and the like including a main handle member formed of a piece of wire and provided with a gripping portion, the handle portion being provided by parts of the wire extending in engagement with each other, an extensible member formed of a single piece of wire and also having a handle portion formed by two parts of wire extending in engagement with each other and positioned adjacent said firstmentioned handle member, a plurality of clamping means fixedly secured to each of said members and slidably and frictionally engaging the other of said members, whereby the two members may be extended relative to each other, and securely held by frictional engagement in an adjusted position, said extensible member having means adapted to engage the gripping portion of the handle member to limitthe rearward movement ofthe same. 5. A device of thecharacter described including,'in combination, a main handle member composed of a single piece of wire and provided with an elongated handle portion formed oi a pair of substantially parallel wire strands, an extensible member formed of a single piece of wire and having an elon-'- gated portion provlded by a pair of substanhaving extended parallel portions closely'associated to mutually brace each other, the

other handle part also having extended parallelportions closely associated to mutually V V brace each other, said extended parallel portions of the handle parts being positioned in alignment and in contact with each other for a substantial portion of their length when in non-extended position, said handle parts being formed with seats and clamping elements positioned in said seats and frictionally engaging the other handleparts, whereby said handle parts may beadjusted longitudinally with relation to each other and frictionally held a. in their adjusted positions.

7. A handle construction for a utensil and the likecomposed of two parts, one part being provided with agripping portion and having extended parallel portions closely associated to mutually brace each other, the other handle part also having extended par allel portions closely associated to mutually brace each other, said extended parallel portions of the handle parts being positioned in alignment and in contact with each other for a substantial'portion of their length when in non-extended position, said handle parts being formed with-depressions and seats in said depressions and clamping elements positioned insaid seatsof said depressions and frictiona'lly engaging the other handle parts, whereby said handle parts may be adjusted friction'ally held in their adjusted positions. In testimony that I claim the foregoing, I have hereunto set my hand this 27th day of December, 1926'.

JOHN L. BENNETT.

tially parallel wire'strands overlying said first-mentioned elongated handle portion,-

and means connected to one end of said main handle member and frictionally and slidably engaging said extensible handle member, and

another means connected to one end of said extensible handle member and frictionally and slidably engaging said main handle member whereby said extensible handle member may be moved relatively to said main handle member and held in different positions thereon. t

6. A handle construction for a utensil and the like composed of two parts, one part being provided with a gripping portion and longitudinally with relation to each other and EGG CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,837,751. Granted December 22, 1931, to

JOHN L. BENNETT.

It is hereby certified that the name of the assignee in the above numbered patent was erroneously described and specified as "W. S. Manufacturing Corporation", whereas said name should have been described and specified as U. S. Manufacturing Corporation, as shown by the records of assignments in this office; page 2, line 9, before the word "member insert the word handle; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record'oi the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 16th day of February, A. D. 1932.

M. J. Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

